Butler, Ira Lee

Ira Lee Butler, born in Fairfield, Wayne County, Illinois, on October 17, 1886, emerged as a highly successful superintendent of large vineyards and orchards in the Kerman district of Fresno County. He moved to California with his parents in 1906, initially assisting his father with viticulture near Dinuba before entering the local nursery industry. Butler gained extensive experience working for nurseryman F. H. Wilson in Fresno and managing a nursery facility at Parlier for several years. His demonstrated ability to handle complex operations led to his appointment as the superintendent of the expansive 320 acre Empire Ranch in February 1917.

At the Empire Ranch, Butler applied scientific farming practices to oversee a diverse 250 acre vineyard containing Thompson seedless, sultanas, muscats, and feherzagos grapes. He also successfully managed forty acres of figs and twenty acres of apricots, directing a workforce that grew to sixty-five employees during peak agricultural seasons. Highly esteemed for his integrity and business qualifications, he balanced his demanding career with a committed family life. He married Laura Sons in 1907 in their native state of Illinois, and together they raised two children, Agnes and Harold.